Onsite Overnight Assistance (OOA) explained
What Onsite Overnight Assistance means in Specialist Disability Accommodation, how it's funded, and how it differs from overnight support in your SIL roster
What does OOA actually fund?
How is OOA different from SIL overnight support?
When does OOA apply?
Why do shared SDA homes need OOA?
How does OOA affect the SDA payment?
How to check OOA is right before you move in
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay extra for Onsite Overnight Assistance?
No. OOA is part of the SDA payment the NDIS makes to the provider for the dwelling — it funds the extra space for overnight staff. You don't pay for OOA yourself, and it isn't drawn from your support budget or added to your rent; your only housing payment is your Reasonable Rent Contribution.
Does every shared SDA home have OOA?
No. OOA applies only where a dwelling is built and enrolled to accommodate overnight staff onsite. Whether a particular home has OOA is recorded in its SDA enrolment, so check the enrolment details if overnight support matters for you.
Does OOA decide how many overnight workers I get?
No. OOA funds the space for staff to be onsite overnight; it doesn't set the staffing. How many workers are on, whether they're active (awake) or on a sleepover, and what they do are support questions answered by your Roster of Care and funded through SIL, not by the SDA enrolment.
What is Onsite Overnight Assistance (OOA)?
OOA is an SDA provision that funds the extra space — typically a dedicated room — needed for a support worker to be onsite overnight in a shared SDA dwelling. It covers the accommodation for overnight staff, not the staff's wages, which are funded through support like SIL.
Does OOA pay for the overnight support worker?
No. OOA funds the space for overnight staff in the dwelling, not their time. The overnight worker's wages — whether active overnight or a sleepover — are funded separately through your SIL or other support budget.
How is OOA different from overnight support in my roster?
OOA is about the building — the extra space for staff to stay onsite overnight, funded from SDA. Overnight support in your roster is about the staffing — the worker's time overnight, funded from SIL/support. One covers space, the other covers people.
When does OOA apply?
OOA typically applies in shared SDA dwellings where residents need a support worker onsite overnight. Whether a dwelling includes OOA is part of its SDA enrolment, so it's recorded against the property and affects the SDA payment.
Should I ask about OOA when choosing an SDA home?
Yes, if overnight staffing matters for you. Ask whether a prospective dwelling includes OOA and how the overnight support itself will be funded through your support budget, so both the space and the staffing are covered.